Sinners Review – Coogler and Jordan make Magic with Vampire Music

Family, love. Lust, Spirituality and the Blues elevate Sinners far beyond just another Vampire movie

Sinners may not have been the easiest movie to market, as a common question I heard after people viewed the trailer was that they weren’t sure what the film was about. Add to that it’s a 1930s period piece from an era many won’t relate to/prefer to forget, and there will be some who may be turned off from watching this film, but that would be a real shame.

For those who want an oversimplified, lazy explanation, think Dusk till Dawn. Two criminal brothers come to town, upset the status quo and part of the way through, vampires turn up. Yes, it’s a vampire movie, but it’s handled with such elegance that, charming as they are, the vampires are not the film’s focus. There are so many threads and stories running through the film that you don’t sit down to watch it, waiting for the vampires to show up. You are invested in the outcomes of these characters and where this story will take them.

One of the movie’s underlying themes is the power music has on the spirit, to both free, empower and enslave

If you grew up around religious circles, you would have heard the phrase ‘the devil’s music’ At different points in time, most popular genres have been referred to as such, due to their ability to influence young people and promote inappropriate/suggestive or promiscuous behaviour. These days, church groups would refer to most secular music in this way. In the Jim Crow era of the American South, that honour fell to the Blues. Rooted in gospel music but using those deep soulful melodies to promote drinking and partying instead of praise and worship.

Central to this story is Sammie (Miles Caton), known locally as Preacher Boy. Sammie’s father is the local pastor who is determined to keep his son on the right side of morality.  Sammie has an amazing musical gift, combining his guitar skill and incredible vocals to create magical music that folklore states can reach beyond the veil of time and space, calling on both the living and the dead. His father wants those talents reserved for the church, but Sammie has already caught the bug for blues music. He’s deeply conflicted and at a life crossroads – a spiritual battle for his soul is taking place when his cousins, Smoke and Stack return to town.

If you keep Dancing with with the Devil, One day he’ll follow you home

Pastor Dean Carver

Smoke and Stack (Michael B Jordan) are twins and local crooks/tough guy legends who left small-town Mississippi for the bright lights of Chicago, with the hopes of getting rich and finally being truly free. They return years later with a spring in their step and enough money to open up their own bar. They intend to provide a place where locals can party safely while enjoying the music they know and love.

They purchase a location from a person they suspect is a Klan member and set about arranging the music, food and entertainment for their opening night. Their first stop is their younger cousin Sammie. followed by the once legendary piano player Delta Slim (Delroy Lindo). Along the way, they enlist the help of old friends Lisa and Bo Chow (Helena Hu and Yao), as well as support from their ex-girlfriends (Hailee Steinfeld/Wunmi Mosaku). This all leads to an opening night none of them will ever forget.

Sinners was one of our Most Wanted Movies for April. Check out the others here

A common question these days is whether directors who have been successful with franchises or within the ‘Marvel Machine’ can produce quality outside of that safety net. The answer here is a resounding YES! Sinners is an original IP, written, directed and produced by Ryan Coogler himself. This is a high concept project combining spirituality, mysticism and music with multiple love stories, the racism of the era and the long-lasting effects of childhood trauma.

There are so many threads here, expertly woven together into a package that may have been an incoherent mess in a lesser director’s hands. This was an ambitious project where risks were taken, with the only safe bet he made being casting his long-time friend and collaborator Michael B Jordan in the lead role.

Performances across the board are excellent, with all of the supporting cast given their moment to shine, but easily the best belongs to Michael B Jordan, pulling off one of the most convincing identical twin performances I have seen on screen. Within the first half hour, I had forgotten I was watching the same actor perform two roles and started seeing them as separate characters. While an incredible technical achievement, there has to be a huge portion of that praise saved for Michael being able to give identical twins their own individual quirks and mannerisms to make them feel like different people while still being brothers/twins

The music is another phenomenal piece of this project. Whether you are a fan of blues/soul music or not, it’s incredibly powerful, almost overwhelming at times. Designed to engulf you in the sounds and accompanying visuals. There is one scene in particular with an amalgamation of past, present and future cultures, both sonically and visually. I thought this was an incredible sight and was blown away by what I thought was the most creative moment of the film.. The person I was with in the cinema felt lost and wasn’t quite sure what was going on, so there is a chance sequences like this won’t be for everyone.

I’ve purposely not spoken much about vampires in this review, not because they are bad. Quite the contrary, the vampire interactions (led by the charming and terrifying Jack O’Connell) are some of the most vicious and fun I’ve seen in a while. But vampires here are more of a delicious dessert following a great meal. It shouldn’t be the primary reason you watch the film, so consider them a special treat for when you watch Sinners yourself.

Despite the harsh environment and serious subject matters, there are funny moments, sprinkled lightly throughout the film, reminding us that humans, even in the worst situation, can still find joy, humour and reasons to laugh. With Sinners, Ryan Cooglar brings the pain, tragedy and Spirituality of the time, adds a story rooted in love and family and ties this dazzling package together with some truly soulful sounds and a magnetic dual performance from Michael B Jordan, making this an unmissable cinematic experience that will stay with you long after you leave the cinema.

Sinners hits theatres on the 18th April – FYI there are two post-credit scenes, so don’t leave the screen too early!